Doubt and Trust
by Kitani
Summary: Prequel to Viam E Erebus/Fairy AU Gajeel hunted dragons until she fell into his net, and now all he wants is to hunt her. She is a pixie who can make him rich a hundred times over, but can he get past her family? Levy let one moment of weakness endanger her precious hollow, vowing to forget the human. Will love be enough to mend their wounded hearts? Please review!
1. First Impressions

So originally this was going to be a short oneshot for BYS where Gajeel accidentally captures a fairy and they fall for each other...but then it ran away from me and turned into a length story! It didn't help I rewatched Hook, Once Upon a Time and Peter Pan when poof! I had twelve pages written in half a day! Yerba Mate for the win!

Apparently this plot bunny needed to be told. Enjoy this story!

 **Doubt and Trust**

First Impressions

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If he blinked one more time, surely it wouldn't be real. How in the bloody blazes did a fairy get into his trap?!

Gajeel stared at the tiny thing about six inches high(a shrimp really!) chirping frantically, her gossamer wings flapping like a hiccuping hummingbird. This small creature was definitely not a dragon, which is Gajeel's trade to trap and slay for resources. Every part of the dragon can be used (but the meat is too tough for human consumption) and sold for a pretty penny.

From how scarce it was to even _see_ one of the Fae folk, surely to capture one is unheard of. Already the money he could earn from selling her alive was an enormous amount! His red eyes practically formed money signs, drool dripping down his chin at the mere thought of the money.

Gajeel felt as if someone punched his gut and then squeezed the air from his lungs. He's gonna be rich!

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Levy tried shrugging the heavy, metallic fire proof netting off her sensitive wings, feeling the appendages fracture from the weight. She knows what this contraption is used to hold and she is not a dragon! Did the stupid human not know a dragon from a cockroach?!

Trilling angrily, Levy looked for an end to the massive net for a chance at freedom.

"I'm gonna be rich!" the black haired human bellowed with glee, running forward to kneel in front of her. She felt disgusted at the greed radiating from his gleaming eyes.

She'd sooner die than be sold like some bit of gold at the highest bidder. Hissing, she threw a handful of dirt at his face. It was only once he bent over with curses flying from his lips did she spot the telltale flicker between the leaves behind him.

Eyes wide, she dug for handfuls of earth and pelted the male human, even as the metal bit and rubbed harsh against her flesh and wings.

"Why you-!" he bellowed, only to be cut off as pelts of rocks zeroed in on the back of his head. Eyes rolling back, the human fell backwards unconscious.

Chirping for help, Levy pushed at the netting. All at once, her Fae family flew from the safety of the trees to pull at the net. With an united effort, they raised the nearest corner up so that Levy can crawl free. Her wings looked crimped and bent, surely a few weeks to heal properly.

"Little sister, you okay?" Elfman asked as he landed in front of her, looking concerned at her damaged wings.

"Yes, take me home!"she pleaded, reaching out her arms to encircle his neck. As he pulled her up into his arms to fly away, she watched the human until he was no longer out of sight.

Never would she be curious of their kind again.

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Until the next chapter!

Review?


	2. Hunter and the Hunted

Please leave a review and let me know if you like?

Hunter and the Hunted

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It was like a fever. It wouldn't let him go. Gajeel didn't hunt dragons anymore, but fairies. Many laughed, others mocked and some even spat in his face but he didn't care.

He saw one, he knew they can be caught. But mostly, he wanted the tiny blue haired pixie who escaped. Her large brown eyes, her gossamer wings. No one escaped Gajeel and he would capture her again to fix his sanity.

For weeks he traveled the forest where he found the fairy, but there was no sign of the tiny blue one or her kind. It didn't help they knew of him, so they were able to avoid him. If only there was more known about these creatures!

"When are you going to give up, man?" Dragneel asked him one day at a bar, where the two tended to bump into one another.

"I can't," Gajeel urged, eyes wild as he looked into narrow black irises. "I need to find her, Natsu. I want her that badly."

The former dragonslayer's look of disapproval did not lessen. "You want money that much?"

"It's more than the money now. Its the hunt. It consumes me to find her. I crave seeing her squirm in my net, knowing I won this time. I can't lose." Not again.

Shaking his head sadly, Dragneel tossed some coins on the table to cover his drink. "Give it up, Gajeel. Fairies don't exist."

He snarled at his old rival's back. Gajeel would show him, the world, everyone!

* * *

Picking a fruit from her favorite grove, Levy tucked it away into her basket. It had been days since she was caught and still her wings are healing. From Makarov's estimate, she had fractured and bruised several veins and tore at least one muscle. Everyone worried about her and coddled her, knowing how much she longed to fly again.

For now, she walks upon the ground for food and water, keeping to the shade of the leaves for cover.

"Levy, your wings are droopy." Lucy, her best friend and hollow sister, murmured in concern. "I know you don't like to talk about it but..."

"I don't, Lu." Levy snapped, tugging on a fruit a little hard, causing the soft morsel to squish under her bruising grip.

"Levy, it happens. There are just some of us who can't shift..."

Shifting the size of their form from pixie to human size was a well trained art years ago. These days,it is a rite of adulthood to be able to shift, along with summoning powerful dust and casting the three major spells of their founder, Mavis.

A rite, not everyone is able to perform. One such as Levy, who can fly and scribe their ancient letters on leaves but never shift.

How Levy longed to shift and chase that human from her home, her family. She felt like such a failure for endangering their hollow.

"Levy..." her friend tried again only to jump when the crack of a branch echoed through their grove. Both stiffened as their eyes scanned the forest, looking for danger. Ready to drop the basket and into Lucy's arms at a moments notice, Levy arched her pointed ears for any sound.

Suddenly Lucy pointed to the patch of trees by a giant rock that marked the grove. Levy watched as a shadow loped forward...to reveal a black panther. Its large body is sleek, dark ears rounded and a scar marring the side of its eye. Growling softly, the big cat hunkered down to pounce. Lucy jumped forward, her wings starting to glow as she summons her magic dust.

"Levy!" she yelled as she began to shift, scooping up her tiny hollow sister to protect her.

"Lu, look out!" Levy screamed as the cat jumped for a human sized Lucy, claws first and fangs gleaming. Her friend was going to be hurt and she still can't do anything at this size!

Levy reached out a shaking hand, wishing she had the magic dust to use when out of nowhere, a fireball smacked the big cat out of the air. A sweaty Natsu landed in front of Lucy, his arms covered in flames.

"Lucy, you alright?" he growled, not taking his eyes off the burnt and hissing panther. The blonde fairy smiled in relief, hugging a little Levy closer to her chest.

"Yeah."

Nodding, he turned his head to a spot on the other side of the clearing, lifting his lip to flash his sharp fangs. "I know you're there. Come out!"

Slowly, a grinning Gajeel emerged from the shadows. "I always wondered why you gave up hunting dragons. You were the best and I wanted to beat you. But to think you would lead me straight to _her._ "

Levy's stomach about dropped as those red eyes gleamed an unholy light...staring straight at her.

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Until the next chapter!


	3. So Close Yet So Far

So Close, Yet So Far

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Natsu is a liar. Gajeel couldn't believe the whole reason Natsu suddenly wanted to join his hunt was because he was secretly protecting them! It made so much sense now. Why the pink haired bastard suddenly detested hunting of mythical creatures, spending weeks at a time in the forests, boasting about a family he 'found' and a blonde girl who was the nicest woman he ever met.

"So this is Lucy," Gajeel drawled, looking the blonde fairy up and down. Her larger form accented her ample breasts. As if sensing his thoughts, Natsu growled protectively, moving in front of Lucy to bar the girl from his sight.

"Gajeel, you get one warning to back off." Natsu warned, flaring the fire engulfing his arms.

The fire reflected in the small blue one's brown eyes, and Gajeel felt tingles all along his body. She was so close, he just had to get through Dragneel to get to her.

"Ah, but we both know its too late for-THAT!" With a yell, Gajeel lunged forward just as Natsu lurched forth with a flaming fist. They met hard, their fists digging into the other for the upper hand. Behind them, Lucy flared her wings to take flight.

With a sharp whistle, Gajeel summoned his hunting cat, Pantherlily. With a cry, the panther jumped for Lucy again from above, halting her escape.

Golden dust gathered around Lucy's hand, and then she threw it straight for the descending Lily. The cat tumbled to a landing, hissing and snarling as the dust hit his eyes. Wiping at his face with one paw to wipe the dust away, the cat roared and jumped to his feet again. Lucy gathered another handful and threw it with more force, knocking the cat into the forest.

Seeing red at his cat losing, Gajeel headbutted Natsu and then threw him into a tree.

"Natsu!" the blonde yelled, hovering above the ground while still holding a tiny Levy.

The little blue one stared at him from between pale fingers, eyes wide and fearful. Never again would he be made a fool of by her or her kind.

Gajeel ran for the blonde, reaching out for the blue haired pixie in her hands. Lucy chirped as she dodged his hands in a mid air somersault, clutching Levy close. Grabbing her ankle before she got too far away, Gajeel jerked the blonde fairy towards the ground so hard, she bounced off the earth with a pain filled cry. Shimmering wings flapped frantically, pulling Lucy up then backwards. With a hiss, Lucy lifted her legs and kicked Gajeel square in the face.

"Fuck!" he cursed, covering his nose as blood began to flow.

Trilling and chirping angrily, Lucy climbed higher into the air and raised both glowing hands, her light brown eyes promising revenge.

"Fairy La-"

"ENOUGH!" A loud and deep voice boomed. Gajeel looked to see a giant mustached man with glowing yellow eyes glaring down at him. Then a bruised Natsu appeared in front of a dirt covered Lucy, one arm pulled back.

"You bastard! That's my LUCY!" Before the blazing fist connected, Gajeel barely was able to find the blue haired pixie perched on the blonde's shoulder, their eyes meeting once more, before Natsu knocked him out cold.

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Shaking, Levy watched the black haired human crumple to the ground from Natsu's punch. Its over. Surely Natsu could take the human away and make sure he never came back-

"Lucy! You okay? Did ya get hurt?" Natsu whirled around, pulling a hovering Lucy down so he can look her over for injuries. His dark eyes flashed red when she winced from bending down to him.

The flying blonde smiled weakly, running her fingers through his thick, pink hair. "I'm _fine_ , Natsu."

"Good," he whispered in relief, leaning up for a kiss.

"Ahem!" Levy coughed, waving her arms to get Natsu's attention. The pinkete blushed while Lucy giggled, touching down so she can gently pull Levy off her neck.

Makarov appeared from the trees, having deshifted from his giant form to survey the situation. He looked over to the black cat, who was wiggling his shoulders for another pounce, and glared with all his fatherly feelings.

The cat's ears lowered and he turned around to run into the forest. Or tried to as a large fist lashed out to pluck the big cat off his paws. Makarov snorted as he shuffled over to the black haired human, ignoring the yowling panther in one hand.

"Is this the one?"he asked, glancing at Levy. She nodded, hugging herself.

"Its because of me that he is here. Please Father, just make him go away."

"What kind of father am I to ignore the pleads of my children?" the older fae said as he picked up the human in another giant hand. He looked over to Natsu, who stared at Gajeel with sad eyes.

"You sure?"

The pink haired slayer nodded grimly. "Do it, before he memorizes our scents. That happens, he can track you near halfway around the world."

Putting the yowling cat in the same hand as the slayer, Makarov reared back the arm and then threw them into the horizon. Levy watched them until they no longer can be seen, wishing they never come back.

"Gather the others," Makarov ordered as he leaned down to pick up Levy. "We will have a meeting and then organize evacuation efforts."

Lucy looked torn as she reached for Natsu's hand. "We're leaving?"

"We have to, girl," the older man said as he turned for the forest, "It is no longer safe to be here. We will find a new hollow, where the human cannot find us."

Levy leaned her head against her father's big chest, tears dripping down her cheeks. All because of one human, her life is ruined.

All she did was stare when he sat down to wipe the sweat from his brow that day. Her kin are pretty and muscled in their own way, but never had she seen such a gorgeous male before. Had she not fluttered her wings in the sunlight, and the human not shoot a bit of metal at her to make her tumble off her perch...she wouldn't have gotten caught in the net that fell from above...

Sensing her sadness, Makarov held her closer. Pressing her face into the fabric of his shirt, Levy cried silently all the way home.

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Please review and thanks sooo much for reading! Until the next chapter!


	4. Waving Freedom Farewell

Waving Freedom Farewell

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Groaning in pain, Gajeel blinked his eyes open to see bright sunlight...and seagulls? The roll of the sea made him nauseous, the salty smell of the water burning his nose from the open porthole.

"Get up." a low voice ordered. Gajeel looked over to see a large muscled blonde man with a lightning scar down the side of his face. Dressed much like a pirate with his heavy coat draped over his wide shoulders, a sword at his hip and a P branded across the top of his left hand, the blonde curled a lip in a greeting snarl. For some reason he was reminded of that giant glaring at him over the tree tops.

Wide brown eyes flashed through his mind and Gajeel covered his face, feeling defeated and angry. It didn't make sense. Why couldn't he just forget the blue one? He didn't even know her damn name!

"I said get up."

"I heard you," Gajeel snapped, shakily pushing himself to his feet while trying hard to avoid barfing at the man's feet. He is in a cabin of a ship, Lily lying asleep on the floor at his feet. His tail is bandaged up from what looked like a nasty fracture.

"How long was I unconscious?"

"About three days. Care to tell me how you were flying through the air with a panther from the Tenrou Isles?"

"You wouldn't believe me," Gajeel muttered,feeling his nose and wincing at the tender cartilage. It seems it had been been pushed back into place when he hit the ocean's surface from the fall. That would also explain Lily's tail. The ocean is not forgiving when you hit it with full force.

Leaning down, the giant blonde sniffed at Gajeel and his dark eyes widened in shock. "Makarov..."

"Who's that?"

A maniacal smirk splits the blonde's face as his eyes gleam wildly. Gajeel knows that look. Its of a hunter who caught the scent of his prey, drunk off the thrill of a chase.

"My grandfather, the King of the Fae."

Gajeel's eyes widen in shock. "You're a fairy?"

"Not anymore, or is your nose so broken you cannot smell another dragon?"

He did smell dragon but it wasn't the same. The other scent coming off this blonde smelled more earthy, more magical...

Soon another scent is carried to him on the breeze and Gajeel's eyes dilate, his fangs lengthened and his sore body screamed with the urge to 'find'. The blue one. He smelled the blue one. She is far away but already he knew the direction...and she is sad.

The urge to find her lessened to a dull throb as he realized he was the one who made her sad. In Gajeel's obsession to find her, he hurt her friends. If she hated him, he did not blame her because he blamed himself for making her cry. The tears he can smell on the wind, different from the sea.

"You will take me to him," the blonde grinned as he grabbed Gajeel by the neck and pulled him up to face him.

"I...won't..."Gajeel wheezed, his sore arms unable to push the blonde away.

"You think me stupid? I saw that look on your face just now. It is the look of a mate longing for its other half. You found one in the fae, just like Dragneel did."

Gajeel winced from the bruising grip on his neck. "You...knew?"

"Bastard showed up one day as I was docked to warn me away from their hollow. He was smart enough to soak their scents away before approaching me. Then he used dust to disappear. For that alone, I want to kill him."

Gajeel's mind whirled as he absorbed this information. How did a fairy become a dragon? Dragneel fell for the blonde, it wasn't just him being honorable? The blue...is his mate? Impossible. He wanted to possess her, lay claim to her and sell her at the highest bid...didn't he? He didn't play the sap like Dragneel did, his dark eyes growing moist and soft whenever he talked about the busty blonde who stole his heart. Did he?!

The blonde shook him hard, fangs flashing in warning. "Do we have an accord?"

The black haired dragon slayer weighed his options. At the state of his body, he had no chance of fighting back a half fae, half dragon blonde...whoever. His best chance to survive is to obey this male for now.

Closing his eyes, Gajeel leaned his head back to bare his throat. This showed his submission to the dominant dragon, the alpha male of their culture. The blonde's eyes gleamed in triumph before letting Gajeel fall to the floor, causing Lily to cry from being awakened and jump to all fours, fur on end.

"Good. My name is Laxus Dreyar, captain of the _Thunder Legion_."

He winced at the well feared name, rubbing at his throat. "Name's Gajeel. Its an honor to sail on your pirate vessel, captain."

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Thanks for reading, and a special huggle to all who faves this story. So happy you enjoy it! Look forward to the next one!


	5. Burnt Brotherly Advice

Burnt Brotherly Advice

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She felt like crying, _again_. When would this incessant ache in her heart leave her alone?! Levy felt like slamming her basket against the ground in frustration. It didn't make sense. She did **not** miss the human. He ruined her life. She is glad he is gone...another tear blurred an eye. Oh for hollow's sake! Growling at herself, Levy wiped the tear away only to wince at how tender her eyelids are from wiping them constantly the last two days.

"Can I come in?"

They boys looked up to see a pixie sized Natsu tapping on the doorway of Levy's hut. Jet and Droy shared a glance, worried and concerned for their hollow sister. Even since her capture, she has not been happy and they had tried everything to cheer her up. Nodding to each other, they set down their baskets filled with food for the evacuation.

Passing Natsu, Droy gave him a pleading glance. "Please cheer up our sister." The pinkete watched them leave and then turned to a depressed looking Levy.

Kneeling down to her, Natsu reached forward to poke at one of her fingers. "Wanna talk?"

"I'm sure Lucy sent you, so no." He scratched his cheek nervously when she glared at him.

"Levy, she didn't send me."

The blue haired fairy crossed her arms and pursed her lips mutinously. "I'll get over...whatever this is, okay? Just let me be!"

His eyes narrowed seriously, frowning at her words. "And if you don't get over it? Will you be okay being miserable, denying yourself peace...and maybe happiness?"

Brown eyes snapped fire. "He hurt you and Lucy! He was willing to hurt my family to get to me. You think someone like that will make me happy?!"

"Whether I like it or not, he is a Dragon Slayer which makes him kin. He's going through the same thing I did after Lucy saved me. Did...she ever tell you how we met?"

Levy wiped at her nose, looking away from him as he settled down, a big grin on his face. "She said it was very embarrassing but since Makarov approved of you joining the hollow, no one pressed the matter of how you met. Wasn't hard to miss the true loving shining from your eyes."

The pink haired slayer chuckled as he re lit the lantern beside them with a flame from one finger. "I was fighting a green water dragon off one of the isles south of here, intent on capturing it alive. I had the perfect opening to knock it out, when a seashell hits me in the balls."

The blue haired fairy fought back a giggle as Natsu shuddered from the painful memory with dramatic effect, clutching at himself and shivering with revulsion."Lucy...threw it?"

"Yup! I looked down, through the pain!, to see a blonde streak heading straight towards me. She throws dust in my face, then punches me and I lose hold of the dragon I had fought so hard to get."

"She does get fired up when protecting creatures."

"Right? So I fall off the dragon and into the boat I had planned to put the dragon into. Since a crazy storm had rolled in that I was trying to avoid, my boat was pulled out to sea. You know me and transportation. Very messy combo."

Levy winced as Natsu's face turned green from the mere memory of being afloat at sea. "Something to do with being a dragon, right?"

Natsu nodded, shuffling closer to her like an excited child. "I groaned and pleaded for someone to save me. It was pure torture, not being able to move as the waves rolled me about, soaked to the bone from the rain and the ocean. For a slayer like me to die at sea...well in my culture, that is reeeeallly pathetic. I almost started crying when something gold appeared above me."

"Lucy?"

"In all her soaked glory, spitting angry that she even bothered to save my sorry ass. She demanded I stop hunting dragons or she will gladly flip the boat and send me to a watery grave. I promised on my honor as a man to never hurt them again, and she pulled me from the boat to shore."

Levy frowned, "That's it?"

The slayer slapped his hands together as his dark eyes lit up. "Oh yeah, that was before we got knocked into the sea by a wave! Lucy had reached down to pull me up when a giant wave knocked us over. I was tumbling and whirling through the powerful waves, my lungs burning for breath."

"That sounds...terrifying!"

Natsu lay his head down on her lap, curling his fingers into the cloth of her day skirt like a child. "I thought I was gonna die, it was soo hard to find the surface. As another wave sucked me down, I saw the golden fairy one more time. She was kicking her legs, flapping her wings and clawing through the strong undertows to reach me. It took everything I had to find air and she was _swimming_ to save me! That took my breath away faster than any wave could."

Levy looked down to see Natsu's dark eyes soften with love for her hollow sister. Their feelings looked so raw and powerful when they are together, gazing or touching each other. There was more than one time she felt envious of their bond.

"I used an exploding flame to propel my way to her and bam! We grabbed hands. Sadly that knocked the air from my lungs and I was choking to breathe. Lucy realized right away and did the only thing she could-she gave me air from her own lungs."

Blushing at the implication of their first kiss, Levy smiled shakily at her hollow brother. "And?"

"With a powerful whoosh from her wings, she pulled us from the water and fought the crazy winds back to the beach. I was so exhausted, I barely remember her dragging me to a cave before passing out."

Levy fiddled with his pink hair, biting her lip at his story. "Is that when you realized you loved her?"

"Nah, it wasn't until she found me on the beach, whining from starvation two days later that I did. It was when she got all lit up, angry at me for being an idiot that I knew. Lucy's my mate and I'd do anything to make her happy. Choosing her changed me, Levy. I haven't harmed a dragon for almost a year now and all I know is how to kill them. Crazy, huh? "

The tears came again, but this time...they didn't make Levy angry or frustrated. She is happy to know that Natsu hadn't ever wanted to use Lucy for anything selfish than being her lifemate. Natsu smiled shyly, reaching up to wipe back a tear from her cheek.

"He's yours, Lev. Deep in your heart, you know it. You both recognized each other and it scares the shit out of you. I almost ran from Lucy after I realized just what she meant to me. Feeling something that strong is overwhelming that its scary and you want to run from it."

The blue fairy covered her face as her face burned and the tears started anew. "I shouldn't care. How can I when all he sees me as is a prize to make him rich."

Natsu pulled at her hands to reveal her face, to look into her eyes. "His skull is thicker so he didn't get it right away. But back there, I think he felt it too but didn't know what it was. Whatever happens, its your choice. He can't force you to accept him, or the other way around. Being mates has to be of two willing hearts or you will just make each other miserable."

"Sounds depressing."

"It is if handled wrong. I just hope Gajeel figures his shit out or I'll beat him within an inch of his life for causing you so much pain."

Levy laughed hard, the first in almost a week. "You dragons and your aggressive solutions."

Natsu grinned wide, happy to see his sister smile again. It could only get better from here. "We may be destructive but we get shit done!"

" **NATSU**! DID YOU BURN ALL MY UNDERCLOTHES?!"

Levy raised a brow as her brother turned an interesting shade of white. "I don't think Lucy ordered her laundry well roasted, Natsu."

"I thought they would dry faster if I used a dragon roar..."he whimpered.

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A/N:Thanks for reading and reviewing, I got some cool stuff lined up that will blow your minds (not literally I hope)!

I was going to explain the role of dragonslayers in this chapter since I've been told it's sort of confusing, but this chapter got too long with the NALU side story so I'll save it for a certain fluffy moment I got planned. Mwuahahaha! Crucial hints are in later chapters.

Looking forward to reading your reviews!


	6. Turning a New Leaf

So it looks like my readers are getting what they ask for. I tried to keep these chapters short and sweet, and they got longer anyway! Thanks so much for the favs and reviews my dearies. It makes me heart glow to know you are enjoying this fic.

Also, if you haven't read it already, please read Gajeel of the Shinsengumi by ImpracticalDemon. This fic inspired Doubt and Trust (at least the Fairy part of it) and I highly recommend it!

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 **Turning a New Leaf**

Sailing to the Tenrou Isles with a pirate crew wasn't so bad, unless you make the mistake of pissing off the captain. Laxus ordered their 'guest' to be thrown into the brig. Gajeel ate through the bars. He ordered Gajeel to be in charge of washing dishes. He devoured the cutlery and lefts holes in the pots. The captain gave all the cleaning duties to Gajeel, and he walked around snacking on a cannonball while mopping the wooden boards. Needles to say, Captain Laxus did not appreciate his ship being treated like a floating snack bar instead of a feared scourge of the sea. To have Gajeel burn off all the metal he devoured, the iron dragonslayer had to make cannonballs until they reached the isles (since the cannonballs are made from dragon slayer magic, a slayer cannot eat them and Laxus knows this).

For the couple weeks, they sailed without stopping, then once landing on one of the Tenrou Isles, they walked without stopping. Gajeel cursed the blond pirate dragon bastard for being so single minded and damning everyone else. He didn't want to help him but without any iron, he couldn't heal faster and Laxus had banned him from making a meal of his ship.

So here he is, marching through a damn hot forest with a pirate crew, hungry like a mothereffer and grumpy that he is being used like a bloodhound against his will. All this for the blue one and the chance to see her again.

Who was he kidding? She probably hated him and had every right, but if he saw her in person…at least he would know. The anxiety of not knowing how she felt is tearing him apart.

"Which way?" Laxus growled, trying to scent the air and coming up with nothing.

Oh how Gajeel wanted to punch him. Worse, he knows if he leads Laxus to the blue one and her family, there will be no quarter. No holding back. That look in the pirate's eyes promised destruction...and revenge. Whatever happened between the pirate and the fae was something worth staring a war over, and Gajeel wouldn't risk the blue one. Not this time.

Coming to the clearing with the giant rock, he can still see the burnt marks for Dragneel scarred into the grass and fruit trees. Sniffing the air, he sensed the blue one is far but maybe if he ran…

"Well?" Laxus snapped, lightning racing over his shoulders in a show of frustration.

Turning around, Gajeel hoped he gave nothing away. "Her scent is gone. I hoped I would get a better lead if I came back here, but its no good. They must of ran after sending me flying."

Pure lightning zapped forward and hit Gajeel square in the chest. The air is knocked from him, and his heart stuttered from the energy. He clutched at his chest as he fell to his knees in agony.

"I don't like being lied to, Gajeel. If there is one thing I know of my grandfather, he wouldn't abandon these isles if it killed him. They are too sacred to the fae and he hopes to hide long enough for me to give up."

Holding out a hand covered in lightning, Laxus smiled gleefully. "Seems I will just have to flush them out myself."

Red eyes watched in horror as Laxus raised that sparking hand to the sky, and let loose a powerful stream of lightning. Soon, the clouds above grew dark and gray with a brewing storm. Strong bolts of white and yellow zapped the isles all over the place, some even starting fires. Fear clogged Gajeel's throat, making him choke on it.

The blue one is in danger and its all his fault. Gritting his jaw for strength, Gajeel inhaled deeply, as much as his dragon lungs can hold.

Laxus smirked at him over his shoulder, "You cannot think to roar at me, weakling. It won't work."

Despite through the pain, and the blood leaking down one side of his mouth, Gajeel smirked back. "Fuck you." he rasped.

With his lungs filled to capacity, Gajeel let loose a whoosh of his magic and the last of his strength to the heavens, hoping at least some of his metal made it to the blue one.

" **Iron Dragon ROAR!**

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Looking forward to your reactions in your reviews. These dramatic (evil) cliffhangers are my specialty it seems. Until the next chapter! Kita loafs you!


	7. Veins of Truth

Thanks to suicuneluvr, Shizuka23, Where'sTheFood, HammyJessa, Mskumiko24 and all the guests for reviewing! Your feedback gives me life!

Veins of Truth

* * *

Sighing heavily, Levy looked up to the sky painted red, orange and purple from the setting sun. It has been almost a month since the human has been sent away. They are marching through the forest for their new home north of the isles, near a lagoon that can be covered with a protective barrier. Fairies of both human and pixie size picked their way through the dense trees and brush easily, flying and stepping around the forest with knowing feet and seeking hands.

Flapping her wings once, Levy winced from the dull ache at stretching the healing muscles. Her wings itself have healed, it was moving them that still bothered her. Feeling her movements on his shoulder, Natsu looked slightly towards her.

"Feeling okay?"

"Yeah, just sore."

"Good! Means you're almost healed," her brother chirped, looking up with bright grin. A flutter of wings signaled the arrival of Lucy, a happy smile on her face as she reached down a hand for her mate. Levy watched as they tangled their fingers together, tanned fingers folding over pale digits. Their eyes bright with love, Levy like an outsider as they got lost in each others eyes.

Growing up, Levy saw pure love in her brothers and sisters choosing their life mates, felt it in hearing the tales of Mother Mavis and her black haired prince. She knows love, was raised in it, is empowered by it. What little Levy has seen of the human has not convinced her that he wants to change. Looking at her happy siblings, an ugly emotion filled her chest.

Clenching her fists from the jealousy threatening to consume her, Levy jumps off her brother's shoulder to fly forward. Gritting her teeth from the pain of moving her wings, Levy zips around the heads of her kin until a pair of hands gently wrap themselves around her.

"Let go!" Levy snapped, kicking at the large hands holding her.

"Levy, you'll hurt yourself," a soft, kind voice murmured with warmth and concern. The blue haired pixie sniffled as the hands opened up to reveal her older sister, Mirajane. The white haired fairy smiled gently, her wavy hair pulled back behind her pointed ears. Seeing the tears, Mira's smile slips a little. Flaring her wings, she flies high into the lush canopy above the others for a little privacy.

"Please don't try to cheer me up, Mira. I just want to be left alone."

"I won't pry," she agreed, tilting her head to the side, "I already know."

The understanding, the acceptance she sees in her sister's eyes causes cracks in the wall around Levy's heart. Tears dripping down her face, Levy clutches at her chest as if in pain. Mira holds her sister a little closer, her flight even and unhurried.

"I fell in love with him...at first sight."Levy whispers, her voice faint to Mira's sensitive ears.

"Oh?"

"It didn't last." Levy mumbled, hugging herself harder, "...oke it."

Concerned, Mira leaned closer to hear better. "He did what?"

"When the I saw the human, I fell in love at the first sight of him. But once he said those words, that he cared more for money than he did for me...he broke my heart. I just didn't know it would hurt this much!"

Mira chuckled, reaching over to gently caress her sister's small blue head with one fingertip. "Oh sweetie, it hurts for a reason. Have you ever wondered why you couldn't shift, even though you care for your family deeply?"

Levy rubbed at her red, swollen cheeks. "I love everyone with all my heart! Love is what causes the shift so why aren't my feelings enough?!"

"Sometimes love for family, for friends is enough. It just isn't for you. Your heart yearns for more and that is not a bad thing. The bond of mates is the strongest of all because of their hearts, hence why Lucy is so powerful when Natsu is near. Why else do you think Mother Mavis risked everything for her black haired prince?"

Mira gives her the small pixie a pointed look, "It is why you cannot seem to forget the human or bury your feelings, no matter how hard you try."

"What are you saying?"

Blue eyes grew soft, knowing. "Look at your wings, little sister."

She turns her red streaked eyes over her shoulder to see the veins in her wings pulsing a golden light, as if echoing the beats of her heart. "Wha?"

Mira smiled wide, " _That_ is love."

Suddenly Levy felt the charge in the air, the hairs on her nape and arms rising moments before the clouds grew dark. This smell of magic is raw and powerful, but off. Almost dark and heavy, like mud.

"Laxus..."Mira whispered just as the first bolt of lightning struck down, causing a tree to catch on fire beside them. Levy watched in fear as the flames grew. Soon the forest is filled with fire and smoke.

Another bolt of lightning hits the tree behind Levy, throwing her and Mira from the canopy towards the ground. With a twirl, Mira landed hard on both feet but it jarred her grip on Levy, causing her pixie sister to tumble to the ground. All around them, pixie and human sized fae ran and fluttered around in panic, buzzing in crazy directions for the north.

Coughing the dirt from her mouth, Levy looked up just in time to see Natsu sucking the fire from the trees to make a path for everyone to escape. Through the bodies and smoke, he saw something behind her and reached out a hand in horror.

"LEVY!"

She turned just in time to see a lightning bolt coming straight for her. Her eyes reflected the energy stream, her death imminent. Throwing up her arms, she screamed.

* * *

Pupils growing dilated, Laxus' head snaps up to scent the air. His grin grows savage, dark eyes wide with a crazed, hungry gleam.

"Someone is trying to shift for the first time," he murmured, eager to hunt. Under his boot lay Gajeel, having been beaten to the ground once his pathetic excuse of a roar had puttered to nothing.

"How do you know?" Freed, his second in command, asked from behind him, looking up at the clouds filled with Laxus' magic.

"I can smell them. Fairies give off pheromones during different moments in their life. One of them is shifting for the first time, and they will lead me straight to Makarov."Laxus throws his head back to laugh as he turns into pure lightning, then shoots up into the brewing storm above, causing sparks to burst and snap along the length of the clouds.

At the feet of the pirates, a blood covered hand twitches, inching forward to clench at the ground...

* * *

A/N: Whew! I am really drawing out the angst, huh? Rest assured, Gajeel and Levy are reunited next chapter! Can't wait to read your reviews and thanks so much for following!


	8. Glitter Power

Thank you so much to suicunelvr, Vilchen, LevyAnnMcGarden, MistyQueHarper, Hammy Jessa, piranha pk and WheresTheFood for reviewing!

Glitter Power

* * *

It hurts to move. It hurts to breath.

Time is running out, he can feel it in the fractured ribs digging into fleshy organs, in the life ebbing away from the internal bleeding. The old Gajeel would have laughed, feeling sorry for himself and the pathetic life he wasted. Now...ever since he saw the blue one, it all changed. Now, he cares if he _lives_.

Around him, he can faintly hear the shuffling of the other pirates. The soft sound of metal sliding on leather meets his ears, his nose twitches from the smell of steel. A sword?

Pain zips through his temples as he forces his eyes open to see the green haired pirate named Freed standing over him, holding a rapier above his throat. Gajeel sees death in his eyes and despite the left over lightning zipping painfully through his very cells, the dragonslayer does something he swore never to do again. He prayed.

Please, he begs from the bottom of his heart, I want to save her. Just _once_.

" **Do you really mean that?"** a voice near his ear whispers as the blade, as if slow motion, descends for his throat.

Yes, his heart answers since his mouth is clenched from the pain, blood leaking from his lips.

" **...Fine, but know this comes at a price.** " the voice warns, magic starting to cover Gajeel's body like a heavy, dark blanket.

Through the agony, his lips twitch against the dirt.

My life for hers. Where do I sign?

* * *

Bracing herself for the impact of the powerful bolt, Levy feels the air fill with charged energy...only for the air to start cracking and popping. Eyes bursting open, Levy watches in shock as bursts of white light flash around her, followed by mini thunderclaps. Falling flecks of metal rain down from the stormy clouds, creating a curtain of silver shavings. Zapping from one sliver to another, the lightning redirects itself through the falling metal until it travels off into the forest, hitting a couple trees instead of her. Just as quickly as it starts, the flashes of light stop and charred bits of black metal float to the ground around her.

Shaking from her near death experience, Levy holds out a hand to catch the falling pieces of ash.

"What is this?" she whispers through the smoke filled air, her family long since flown to safety.

In the next moment, a boom echoes through the air as a large lightning bolt hits the ground in front of Levy. The tiny pixie gasps, scooting away from the large form manifesting from the lightning itself.

"That, little sister, was a dragon roar."a familiar voice says, a voice she had not heard in almost thirty years. "Gajeel is a Iron Dragon, so when he roars, it shreds his opponent with bits of metal and dragonslayer magic. After the roar dies off, the metal he barfs up still flies through the air. Looks like he used it to attract my magic away from you..."

Levy trembles from realizing the storm trying to hurt her family and burning their forests is caused by lightning that belongs to her long lost brother, Laxus. He can turn into a dragon, a demon, or even a butterfly and she would always recognize his scent. Once a fae, always a fae.

"Why?" she whispered, desperate to understand how he can turn his back on them. His family, his hollow.

The grin stretching his face scared her when he answered, "Power. Now tell me where the old bastard is."

The courage to defy him, Levy knew not where it came from. "Never."

She watched him raise a hand that sparked and crackled with pure energy, his palm pointing straight at her. Levy sobbed in despair that Laxus would be willing to kill his own kin. Even as she faced death, Levy remembered a young Laxus boasting about being the first to cast Fairy Law, and to practice on all his brothers and sisters until it happened.…

Laxus cackled maniacally as he released a beam of lightning towards Levy. Frozen in place, the tiny fae knows she cannot move fast enough to dodge.

"Like hell you will!"

Brown eyes widen in horror as the black haired human suddenly lunges between her and the lightning. Arms held open wide, his skin is covered in bright silver scales giving off waves of black magic, his back facing her like a protective wall. Levy reached out for him, to try and stop him. Don't...

Before the bolt hit, the human turned his head to speak over his shoulder, "I'm sorry."

Levy opened her mouth to scream. NO.

With a loud thunderclap, she watched as the male who ruined her life and endangered her family was pierced through the chest with yellow, crackling light. Her heart broke again, only for something inside to explode.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Levy wailed in grief, feeling the power in her heart snap to life. With a great burst of magic, Levy grew from six inches to four feet, nine inches in one millisecond. The veins in her large wings flared with light, powerful golden dust emitting from every pore of her body, only to coat her skin in hues of gold, green, purple and white that shimmer in the light of the surrounding fires.

Laxus' eyes widen in shock. To think she would be the first fae in four centuries to unlock Mother Mavis' ultimate magic: Lumen Historie.

Levy glared furiously at the blonde who was once a loving brother. At her feet lay her male, her swain, the other part of her heart. No more would she deny that she loves this human and she would bring justice on any who hurt him.

Pointing a glimmering finger at the lightning dragon slayer, Levy spoke in two voices. In her heart, in her mind, she feels the warm presence of Mother Mavis. " _ **Laxus Dreyar, for sins against your family, you will be cast from these holy isles. Never again will you bring harm to kin whose only fault was loving you.**_ "

The blonde slayer laughed hysterically, cursed them both and reared back to bellow a mighty dragon roar. Levy lifted a clenched fist to the stormy skies, brown eyes flashing tints of gold and bright green.

"FAIRY," she howled, bringing her fist down to cast the spell, "GLITTER!"

A giant ring of starlight burst through the clouds, surrounding Laxus in its bright power. It soaked up his magic, absorbing his lighting maigc only to divert it around the ring back at the slayer. In a painful glare of light, Laxus screams as he is overcome.

Soon, all the light fades and the now ash colored dust crumbles away from Levy's skin like caked mud, her wings losing their glowing luster. With a pain filled groan, the blue haired fae falls to her knees beside her human. Crawling closer, she caresses his pale cheek, brushing against the fresh blood that had leaked from his mouth. His eyes are closed, his chest barely moving and her heart breaks anew.

"Come back," she pleads against his forehead, her lips trembling, "I just found you."

Holding her breath, she waits for an answer, a sign, anything to show he lives. But he doesn't respond and a newly shifted Levy sobs brokenly over his body.

* * *

Until the next chapter!

I'm an evil author, I know but I can't bring myself to really apologize. Ever since chapter two, I knew Gajeel was going to get injured in Levy's defense. I basically recreated that moment from the manga where Gajeel takes Laxus' lightning in Levy's place willingly...and then beefed up the drama.

In chapter three, Pantherlilly was never going to be apart of the story, but I threw him in at the last minute. I also borrowed a Vegeta's quote from the Resurecction F movie, when Bulma gets slapped and Vegeta goes ballistic. That's my Bulma will always be in my brain.

In chapter four, I was going to describe Gajeel landing near a ship then pulled onto it and reveal Laxus' agenda as he talks to his crew over an unconscious Gajeel, but I scrapped that for the current chapter for suspenseful flair. I guess it worked?

In chapter five, Lucy was suppose to talk to Levy instead of Natsu. I changed it because Natsu knows Gajeel more than his mate does, and the flow felt better. The story about how he met Lucy was suppose to be a fishing story gone wrong Natsu tells Nashi in 'Adventures with Nashi', but I never wrote it.

In chapter six, Gajeel was going to shed a bunch of scales or shoot some demon logs in the fae's direction to divert the lightning, but I chose a dragon roar instead. A roar looks like it will travel faster anyway.

In chapter seven, Natsu was going to pester Levy about giving Gajeel another chance because he ships them. But transitioning the scene from Levy with her family to Levy being saved by a Gajeel's dragon slayer magic wasn't working so I changed Natsu to Lucy to finally Mira, and got the flow I was looking for. Levy was also suppose to shift after accepting her feeling for Gajeel and this would attract Laxus, but that didn't feel dramatic enough so I saved it for chapter eight. Also threw a Miraxus hint out there, in case you missed it.

In this chapter, Levy was suppose to realize Gajeel saved her using his magic and this activated her shift ability, but it still seemed weak. Lily was also going shift forms and carry Gajeel to Levy's side but then I would have to explain where Lily is, and it broke the flow. So I chose a different source, one that ties into the Fae and the Slayers. Hopefully that will be revealed next chapter...if Gajeel lives.

Dun dun du-aaaah! /dodges the rocks and cabbage/

* * *

 **BONUS OMAKE:** How Laxus should have been defeated...Dedicated to Suicuneluvr!

Laxus: Eat lightning! -shoots a bolt at Levy-

Levy: Oh no!

Gajeel comes out of nowhere with his hands morphed into giant silver, frying pans.

Gajeel: Iron Dragon Special Move...Frying Dragon Fists!

Everyone sweat drops as Gajeel beats up Laxus with a pair of dragon slayer frying...hands...?!

Levy: My...hero?

Kita: WHAT THE FUCK, MAN! That wasn't in the script!

Gajeel throws on a pair of sunglasses, crosses his frying pan arms like a gangsta and stands on a KO'd Laxus.

Gajeel: THUG LIFE.


	9. The Price: Part One

Lookie lookie, an update! I hope the fans of this fic are still with me, aye? This was INTENDED to be the last chapter...but I decided to expand on some details, and thus this scene was extended. So alas, it has been split into two parts. But do know the ending is coming up. Now...read! (pweese?)

The Price: Part One

* * *

Smoothing the dark inky hair away from his narrow, harsh features, Levy leaned over his head propped on her lap in heartfelt grief. Tears filled her eyes all over again. Why did she have to be so afraid to love him? The whole time she had been running away, she could of held onto hope and at least asked what his feelings were. To know if her heart had been right. This human male sacrificed his life from her. She couldn't lose him when they are finally together again. Not when after all the denial and the heartache, she is willing to face her feelings.

"Gajeel," she murmured his name for the first time, trying the strange vowels on her tongue. Natsu had said it several times but she had refused to use it until now.

The dragon lay limp, his skin still warm and stained with spots of smeared shadows. She had tried to rub the black away, but it refused to leave his skin. His chest didn't move, the hole did not fester. It was as if he were frozen.

"You big dummy," Levy whispered as she smoothed her fingertips through his hair, enjoying the feel of the thick strands, "wake up. I'm not running anymore. Come on, you stubborn jerk..."

Nothing. All that chasing after her, only to apologize before dying. Her fingers clenched hard in the dark strands. Her mate had no right to die when he had so much to answer for. This wasn't fair.

Love is the most powerful magic in the world. Her father and mother Mavis taught her that. Eyes wide with a thought and a touch of desperation, Levy leaned down to press her lips against his cool ones.

Please, she prayed, don't leave me!

A low chuckle against her ear made her heart flutter in hope. Leaning back, she gasped.

"Gaje-"

* * *

Once he had cleared a safe enough path through the burning forest for the fairies to flee through, Natsu had spun back around to save Levy when a bright flash of pure magic and light had almost left Natsu blind. He still felt guilty at leaving her behind once Laxus appeared but when it came to his mate's safety, he would choose her every time.

Natsu hated feeling helpless. It's not in him to feel such a weak emotion without getting seriously pissed off...at himself. Watching Gajeel sacrifice himself for Levy made him feel powerless at not being able to do a damn thing. It fueled a darkness in his heart he had not felt in a long time.

Clenching his fist as his arm burst into flames, Natsu glanced grimly over his shoulder at the fairy following him, "Lucy, join the others."

"Natsu," she warned, noting the gleam of barely leashed violence in his dark eyes, "I won't leave you alone."

He smirked despite himself. Of course his blond fairy wouldn't leave him voluntarily. Lucy is the most loyal and stubborn of fairies when it comes to the sake of her family, which is one of the many reasons he loves her. Since meeting his mate, Natsu began to accept feeling more human. It meant enjoying being in love with his mate, laughing with her family who accepted him and burying the darker part of himself with the love she brought forth.

"Trust me, Lu," Natsu urged as he cracked his knuckles, "You don't want to see this. Go make sure the others are okay."

They glared at each other for a few moments until Lucy sighed and summoned her wings. "You have fifteen minutes to clean up Laxus' mess and then I'm right back by your side."

Natsu waited until he could no longer hear the flapping of her wings that he clenched his fists harder. Dark red scales formed along his forearms and black stained his nails as he added black flames to his dragon fire. He had promised himself since Igneel's death he would only use the fire his adopted father had taught him. But if his hunch is right about the scent he smells, these black flames may be the only magic that could destroy him enemy.

Stalking through the forest until he returned to the clearing where Levy was, he sniffed the air as the scent of death magic and salty tears grew stronger. His fey sister sat in the middle of the burnt forest, leaning down to kiss the dragonslayer in her arms. The sudden spike in death laced miasma was his only warning. Sprinting across the last few feet, Natsu caught the clawed hand aiming to strangle Levy.

"Gaj-"Levy gasped only for Natsu to grab the back of her shirt and shove her behind him. "Natsu! What are you doing?!"

"That's not Gajeel," he snapped, watching warily as Gajeel's black covered body slowly pushed himself to his feet. The scent of death and dark magic grew so heavy, he wanted to gag.

"I've missed you," Gajeel said in a different voice, causing shivers of dread to skitter up Natsu's neck. Those wide lips shifted into a twisted smile, red eyes once so bright now gleaming with evil. The shadows covering the dragonslayer writhed and danced across ashen skin, black slime dripping from gray fangs, " _Little brother._ "

* * *

Aaaaand TO BE CONTINUED! I know, horrible cliffhanger. Gotta wait til part two to find out what happens!


	10. The Price: Part Two

Here is a triple length chapter for all the fans of Doubt and Trust. Thank you for reading and supporting this story to the very end! I love you all and enjoy!

The Price: Part Two

* * *

Natsu bared his teeth, growling in fury, "Zeref, release him!"

"Come home and I will let these two live."

Two? But only Gajeel had the marks...

The dread and the helplessness all combined when he turned to see Levy now covered in black shadows. She gasped and weakly took a step back only to crumple to the ground. Natsu caught her quickly, clutching her close to his chest. No no no, not again!

"Zeref, stop it!" he roared, tears filling his vision. "They don't deserve this!"

"I will do what it takes to bring you back to me, Etherious. Even if it means killing every single person you love."

Levy started shaking as the shadow marks spread across her skin in inky patches, eyes wide in fear. "Natsu...what's..."

"Everything will be okay sis, I swear it!" he promised fiercely, grasping her arm in his hand covered in pure black flames. The shadows started to become absorbed into his fire but it wasn't fast enough. The death curse still pulls the life from his sister and he didn't have any way to purify or cancel it!

Zeref laughed mockingly at his efforts. "Just give in, END. Give up this mortal facade. Come back to Tartaros."

Panting from the intense waves of rage and terror, Natsu gently lowered a cursed Levy to the ground. Already her body is shrinking as the death magic ate away at her life force. Gripping her hand, he clenched them in a promise.

" Hang on, okay?"

She smiled shakily through the pain, "O-okay."

Turning from her, Natsu encased himself in black flames as he activated the first seal of his Etherious powers. Black and red scales covered the skin of his arms, neck and cheeks in random spots. His teeth grew to long points past his lips, his ears growing pointed and scaly.

"Release. Them." he ordered, his voice growing deep and hoarse.

Zeref smiled as he fingered the hole in Gajeel's chest. "Your sins will always cost you, little brother."

"Mavis paid it so others wouldn't have to." Natsu stalked towards Zeref, the black flames growing larger.

Hearing that name made Zeref's face wipe clear of emotion. "She wasn't enough. Must I really kill your Lucy to wake you up?"

In the next second, a fully transformed END was in front of the possessed Gajeel, one black and red clawed limb wrapped around the slayer's throat. A cross between a dragon and a demon, Etherious Natsu Dragneel looked like a black slimy monster with a reptilian head, a long narrow body, wide leathery wings and scales with a blood red sheen covering his sides and underbelly. On the top of his slime covered head sat a wicked, red gleaming horn. It's other pair had been snapped off, the remains a stub of bone and blood.

Eyes wide in sadistic glee, Zeref stared back at his brother's demonic face. "Nats-"

Black and red clawed hands glowed with dark magic seconds before he blasted the dark soul from powerful Etherious magic, "Never. Threaten. Lucy."

With an outraged roar, his brother's voice faded with his possession as Natsu caught Gajeel's dead weight, his body quickly morphing back to his human form.

"Come on Gajeel, wake up! Levy needs you," the pink haired slayer pleads into the hair of his rival, his friend, his brother as he lowers the slayer gently to the ground.

Behind him, a sudden orb of light grows brighter. As it begins to take form, Levy's eyes widen in shock.

"Mother...Mavis?"

* * *

It was as if time stopped and turned numb. Gajeel couldn't feel anything. The world lacked color and any sort of sensation. Was this what it meant to be dead? Suffocating nothingness? Looking down at his ravaged body covered in blackish smears and blood, Gajeel couldn't quite feel bad about being dead.

He saved the blue one. At least Natsu will be there to clean up the mess. What could he really hope for now that he wasn't able to do anything except disappear?

"Gajeel."

The dark haired young man slowly turned around, breathing heavily from the shock and disbelief. So long he has not heard that deep gravely voice, he had almost forgotten what it sounded like. How many nights did he dream of his foster dragon? How many hours did he lose sleep missing his father?

In all his scaly glory stood Metalicana, the Iron Dragon. Dark eyes stared intensely down at the dragonslayer and Gajeel couldn't help it. The tears fell, blurring his vision from the fact his father is with him again.

"Dad...I..."he tried to say something, anything but all the feelings of love and regret felt like it would overwhelm him. What could he possibly say the one creature who ever gave a damn about him, who raised him to be better only to end up a disappointment?

Lowering his squarish head to his son, Metalicana nudged his short snout against Gajeel's head in a rare nuzzle of affection. Due to his body being covered in metallic scales, physical affection is hard for the iron clad dragon.

"Gajeel, why are you on this side? It is too soon for you."

Tear covered cheeks turning red, Gajeel turned away, "I gave up my life for a fairy's. Aren't you proud or something?"

Silence. "You loved her that much, huh?"

"Shuddup!"

"No matter. Looks like your time is up." Metalicana murmured, nodding towards his son's hands. Gajeel raised them to see golden magic eating away at the black smears across his skin. What in the seven hells?

"Go on. You are being called."

The world of nothing started to fade. He reached for his foster dragon, gripping the smooth snout in a desperate grip. "Come with me!"

Dark eyes softened at his words. "I cannot. All physical bodies will wither but our souls are eternal. I will always watch over you, Gajeel."

Gajeel felt his body being pulled backwards. His father was moving further away, growing fainter in the distance. "Dad!"

" _Until next time, my son."_

"DAAAD!"

Suddenly the pull from jerked him backwards, causing him to feel heavy...and in immense pain. Clenching his eyes closed as his gut felt as if it were hollow and on fire at the same time, his throat filled with liquid and struggling to breath.

...jeel.

….Ga...je...

Gasping harshly, pleading with anything to be free of the horrifying pain, Gajeel heaved forward to try to inhale. Opening his eyes to the sudden brightness of the world, he saw golden light and bright blue hair.

"Gajeel!" a lovely, tinkling voice filled his ears. Falling onto his back, the dragonslayer blinked rapidly up into wide, brown eyes...of the blue one.

The fairy he had chased and obsessed over knelt beside him, her body having grown to larger and more realistic proportions. Small hands pressed over his heart, gold and silver dust covered her skin and hair as magic swirled around her. Lovely fae wings graced her back, the veins pulsing with gold, pink and white light.

"What did-"he rasped, only to cough blood from his throat to clear his aching lungs. "What did you do?"

The fae of his heart cupped his face in her hands, "What I had to. Did you really think I would let you go after everything?"

His bruised hand reached up to brush blunt knuckles against her soft, tender cheek that he now noticed was smeared in black, just like him. "I-I'm sorry."

"I know."

She leaned down to him and his fingers curled into her hair as their lips met. The touch was soft and sad, for he knew he had been summoned from death for only a few moments. But right then, it didn't matter. If only for a few seconds, she is finally his.

Slanting her head sideways, he nudged her lips opened to chase her tongue and taste her mouth. If this was to be his last supper, it was only right he feasted on his blue one.

Moaning, she leaned back to bump his nose with hers. "I love you, Gajeel."

The dragon slayer smirked despite the pain and blood dripping down his mouth. "And I you, Levy."

The intense power flowing through her flickered and waned, as if weakening. Pain started to fill her eyes, her mouth tightening in a tense line. Glancing to her right, she stared hard at Natsu. The pink haired slayer stared back with tears trailing down his cheeks, grief written all over his face. What had Gajeel missed during the time he had died?

Levy started breathing harder, her limbs shaking. "Natsu, never forget your promise."

Natsu wiped away a few tears, struggling to keep his cool. "I swear, little sis."

"Good." she murmured. Facing her mate, Levy pressed her forehead against his. "You are my heart, Gajeel. If you die, I die. To live on would be agony until I joined you."

Gajeel felt a tear trail down his cheek as he struggled not cry at her sacrifice, "Levy..."

"Don't look so sad." she whispered, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Gajeel?"

"Hmm?"

"Hold me?"

Even as his vision started dimming and his body slowly grew numb, Gajeel struggled to lift his arms to wrap around his little fae. "A...always."

Levy slowly stopped shaking as she relaxed in his arms. "Ever since I saw you, I wanted...to...be in...our...rms..."

He couldn't seem to make his lungs move enough to laugh. The strength to even think seemed to fade away. Soon, he couldn't feel her chest move against his. Pressing his chin against her nose, Gajeel's eyes slowly started to drift closed.

"Hey...wait...for me..."he slurred and then breathed no more.

* * *

Lucy flew as fast as her wings could carry her, feeling deep in her heart that something was wrong. It had taken too long to rally her hollow together and then convince her father that Natsu needed their support.

Her mate was hurting, she could feel it. But why? Did he get injured? Had someone died?

What awaited her in the burnt clearing was the makings of a nightmare.

Her sister, Levy, lay beside the dragonslayer who had tried to capture her several months ago. But what made her falter is the creature standing off to the side of the two lovers.

Covered in scales of black and blood red, the slime covered creature stared down at the two dead bodies at his clawed feet. As it turned to stare at her with black eyes, Lucy felt her body stiffen as she saw the truth in its eyes. Her sister is dead.

Falling to her knees as her wings gave away, Lucy wailed and sobbed into her hands as the grief overwhelmed her.

"Lucy!" her father yelled from behind as he flew to her side, only to gasp at the scene. The loud flutter of wings meant the rest of the hollow had followed.

"Do not be afraid, fairy. All will be made well." a soft voice said as a hand suddenly patted at Lucy's head. She looked up into the pale green eyes of a young woman dressed in a white dress and large butterfly wings flaring out behind her.

"Mother Mavis!" Makarov gasped, falling onto his behind as his wings gave away to his shock at the ghost of their hollow founder.

Mavis smiled at the older fairy before turning away to float over towards the creature.

Lucy's eyes skittered around the burnt forest. She had smelled him earlier. Where is her mate?!

"What happened to Natsu?" Lucy demanded as the spirit held a hand out for the creature to grasp with its long, clawed fingers.

Mavis giggled as dark magic flared around her and the horned monster,soon forming into a black sphere around them all, "Silly girl. This _is_ Natsu!"

Lucy's brown eyes met inky black orbs and she almost heaved from the horror of it all.

No.

Large black wings flared out, thin spines covered the tips.

NO.

A tail covered in red scales slithered out from the shadows as the black magic grew thicker.

Mavis smiled, "UNISON-"

Lucy reached up to cover her ears in denial as the creature's lips started to move.

The slimy lizard thing never looked away from her with those reptilian eyes, "RAID."

It had used Natsu's voice.

"NOOOOOO!" Lucy screamed as the choking darkness turned into light that blinded them all...and the world was swallowed up in pure magic.

* * *

Read what happens next...in the EPILOGUE!

I know you are sad and confused, but that was my intention. Just where is this going, you must wonder? How could I do this to one of my favorite pairings? Find out in the last chapter!


	11. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

* * *

 _"Are you willing to pay the price?"_

 ** _"I am."_**

* * *

A low humming noise woke up Natsu. Lifting his head, he felt a warmth seep through his clothes and into the skin of his back pressed against the giant stone glowing dimly in the room. But today, the glow was different. It seemed to pulse as if representing a heartbeat. Smiling, he leaned his head back to watch the light dim and brighten in time with the faint hum inside the stone.

"It's finally time, huh?" he asked no one since he is alone in the room, but the crystal seemed to hum louder in response. He grinned in the darkness.

"I'm getting fired up."

* * *

A young woman skipped towards the large entrance gate, her blue hair bouncing with her hyper movements. "Jet, Droy! We're here!"

The tall redhead stared up at the school's name engraved in a curved plague above the gate. "Can't believe Phantom Institute accepted our applications."

The dark haired young man of their group tapped his book about Botany against his leg. "I am not looking forward to working off the loans we already owe them..."

Laughing heartily, the true blue haired heart of their little trio tugged them through the gate. "Guys, lighten up! We're off the streets, out of that rundown house and on to a better life. Be thankful for this second chance."

Both Jet and Droy groaned at their childhood friend. "You're just here for their library, Levy! Admit it!"

She giggled, "Yuuuup!"

The three young students entered the campus with some hope to turn their lives around, never knowing their lives at this campus will never be the same...

* * *

 **FIN**

Author's note: First let me thank every single one of you for reading Doubt and Trust. Your reviews and favorites really made me smile and humbled that I kept you in suspense. If you haven't figured it out already, YES this is a prequel to V _iam a Erebus_. Admit it, did any of you see that coming?

I am sure I have left many reeling from the rapid turn this story took. If I have made anyone angry, know that I apologize but I do not regret how I ended this story. Please rant and rave in the reviews. You have the right and I will read every single one. (There are at least a 100 of you who read chapter nine, but did not leave a review. I was really wanting to know your thoughts too!)

Originally this story was only suppose to be a oneshot for By Your Side where Gajeel finds a little fairy, follows her home and chases all the fairies around to try and catch them, but fails hilariously. As you have read, it ran away from me. DNT was also going to be four to six chapters, but the ending never fit until I realized this could be the hint to the back story I needed in Viam. The title of this story is actually from the D Gray Man anime, Doubt and Trust by access. Not very fairyish but the lyrics fit Gajeel in his development getting to Levy.

I am also proud of myself for really finishing a story. It is rare and I have drunk half a bottle of wine to celebrate such a thing happening. I can only hope I use such efforts to finish my others fics. See you guys in Viam!

Love, _**Kitani**_


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